BOXING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19049, 28 June 1924, Page 6

BOXING

MEETING OF ASSOCIATION CENTRE CHAMPIONSHIPS ABANDONED. There was a fair attendance of boxing enthusiasts at - the Jockey Club’s rooms last night for the purpose of deciding whether or not the centre championships would be conducted in Wanganui. The president, Mr J. Coull. occupied the chair. The chairman, in explaining the purpose of the meeting said that twelve months ago the present executive were anxious to go out of office, but, at his instigation, they decided t,' hold together for another year, and endeavour to nlace the association on a more satisfactory footing. That endeavour had been successful, principally due to the efforts of Mr A. G. Mackay, who had promoted an Art Union, which had realised something over £5OO. The executive had been able to pay its creditors 13s 4d in the £, while they had also lifted their guarantees. The thanks of the association were due to all those who had assisted them to clean off their debts. They now had the confidence of their creditors,, bankers, and the guarantors, while he was sure that Mr Mackay, who had made all this possible, had the confidence of those present. However, they did not want to conduct the centre championships, and find themselves £lOO down again. It a, now executive was elected, and the championships were held, they did not want any skimping. It was better to have no show than a poor one. He said that what precipitated the executive’s action to resign was a rather foolish letter that appeared in the press, under the name of Mr Souter. The executive certainly did not have the confidence of Mr’Souter, and the second portion of his letter, which reflected on the association, was putrid. Mr Souter: Are you here to discuss me or the centre championships? The chairman explained that he was discussing the centre championships, and Mr Souter’s letter to the press. The executive did not have the confidence of Mr Souter, no matter what other confidence they had. He then called upon the secretary to read the minutes of the last meeting of the executive. Mr Shearman: I want the minutes of the special meeting held a few weeks ago, when you decided to go on with the championships and canvass the town for support. The chairman explained that, the meeting had been out of order owing to the fact that seven days’ notice of it had not been given. The present meeting, however, was in order. Mr Shearman: Then the other meeting was out of order. We have come here to waste time. I want to know what has been done with those minutes? It is no use shelving matters like this. The secretary (Mr A. G. Mackay) explained that as the result of the decision of the special meeting he had canvasse certain people for donations without success.

Mr Cohen rose to a point of order. Mr Quigley maintained that every one should be given an opportunity to discuss matters fully. Then if they decided to take on a dying thing, it would be their own fault. The chairman said that, there was no intention by the executive to hide anything. Ho then called upon Mr Robinson to explain the finances of the association to the meeting. Mr Robinson pointed out that the reason for bringing down the interim balance-sheet was to let the newexecutive know what they were taking on. He said that the art union pro duced £515 19s sd, while the total amount on the credit side of the bal-ance-sheet was £844 2s sd. The total expenditure was £476 18s lid, leaving a credit of £367 3s 6d: out of which they had met the guarantees, and paid creditors. They had squared off their liabilities, and this left a surplus of assets over liabilities of £lBl 6s 4d. They had made a loss on the working of their tournaments, and were satisfied that boxing in Wanganui could not be made to pay.

The chairman said that the statements of receipts and expenditure was pretty doleful. None of them wanted to sec boxing go out of Wanganui, but what they wanted was fresh blood on the executive. , Mr Robinson gave the takings of of the various contests. He said that the meeting knew- the position now, and if they thought they could carry on with a new executive that was what they desired. Mr Souter said that the professional contest was a bad match. Mr Cohen rose to a point of order, and said that they were discussing the balance-sheet. Mr Souter: Have we tome here to be squashed every time we get up? The chairman: No! You can speak on matters relevant to the balaneesheet. You will be given an opportunity to ask questions later. Mr Cohen asked if Mr Souter was a member of the association? Mr Souter: No! But I have been invited here. Mr Cohen explained that the executive was responsible to its members, and the guarantors. He said that from a financial point of view professional bouts were a loss—for the last fifteen years they had been. He asked how had they treated the amateurs? He said that they had paid amateurs £172 17s 9d, while the total receipts from the wonderful public they heard about, amounted to £327. He could only deplore that the Wanganui people did not take an interest in boxing and he protested against the executive being held responsible in any way.

Mr Quigley said no one knew betto; than he what the executive had done, but he wanted to discount the sugges tion that professional bouts’were responsible for the Association’s loss. Th? public were responsible. A voice: Both arc!

Continuing, the- speaker said that the remarks of the previous speaker tended to show that professional boms were not straight. Mr Cohen: J was talking about how they affected this association, not generally.

Mr Quigley said that the town owed a lot to the present executive. He would not say they were “leaving a sinking ship,” but he would like to see them carry on if possible. Mr Fry said that in Napier, with two days’ championships, and packed houses, they only made a profit of £35. lie said that most of the centres which were condicting professional bouts were showing a loss. The secretary explained that when the New Zealand championships were conducted locally in .1914, although they had three packed houses, they only showed a profit of £3O. He pointed out that the Wellington centre had informed him that they could not financially assist the association to conduct the championships.

Mr Souter said that the amateurs h id not drawn large houses during the 1?.-’ two years, but he thought that the noiding of the championships would mean the resuscitation of amateur boxing. If they had the men from outside, the people would attend the bouts if they had a. new executive and new bio id. He was sure that at the ’ least they would- not be losing anything if -hey held the championships in Wanganui.

Mr Cohen questioned whether the Wanganui people wanted the champ: »i»ships here. If they did he suggested that they shoulid make a guarantee.

Mr Fromont said that they would be missing a golden opportunity if they did not hold the centre championships here. The chairman said that if they were going to have the centre yhjampionshius here, they would have to appoint a new executive. The old executive would not undertake them. Mr Cohen felt that if they could raise say £5O, and hold the championships they would be a stimulus to amateur boxing. However, he wanted experienced men to run them. Mr Quigley proposed that the present executive carry on the championships providing the necessary cash w?s available. He could not see that they could run them under £75. The chairman said that personally he would not undertake tne matter under £lOO cash. Mr Seddon thought that it would require £2OO to run the championships. If they ran them the association would have rhe bigg-?A lo>s they had ever had. Mr Shearman moved, and Mr Rob inson seconded, that the Wellington centre be informed that the Wanganui association could not see its way to conduct the championships, owing to financial difficulties. Mr L. Fromont moved an amend-, meat to the effect that the members of the association give the executive j power to run the championships pro viding £75 was forthcoming immediately. Mr A. Fromont seconded the amendment. The motion was eventually carried. This concluded th* business of the meeting, and the chairman said that the old executive would hold office until the end of the month. Sometime in July the accounts would be audited, and then a new executive would be elected. He said that they had some good boys in Wanganui, and he hoped that when the' annual meeting arrived they would get a good committee together, and carry on success fully. CONTESTS IN U.S.A. Received June 27. 9 p.m. (Router.) NEW YORK, June 26. The Negro middleweight championship of the world changed hands when Larry Estridge (New York) beat Joe Gans over ten rounds. Harry Grob, world’s middleweight champion, defended his title successfully against the English challenger, Ted Moore, over a fast fifteen rounds. It was Grob’s fight from the start.